Snowmen and Secrets
by unevilgirl
Summary: Nanao really doesn't like the snow, but her snowman reveals something interesting about her captain.


A/N: It refuses to stop snowing here, so while procrastinating from studying for finals, I came up with this story after seeing the snowmen on campus.

**Snowmen and Secrets**

Nanao woke up one grey morning heavy with an oncoming winter storm. She sighed softly at the thought of snow covering everything. The beauty of the season cannot be denied, but it made traveling so much more inefficient in Nanao's mind. Snow lasted too long and got your feet all wet and cold. Snow was just too much of a hassle for the busy life of this fukutaicho. Nanao just shook the thoughts out of her head and went about her morning routine knowing there was nothing she could do about it. Even by the time she got out of her bath the first snowflakes started falling. Nanao finished her morning coffee and quickly made it to the 8th division office to get the day's paperwork done as soon as she could.

********

Nanao worked diligently through the morning enough so by the time lunch rolled around, she was finished for the day. Coincidentally, Rangiku stopped by the Eighth.

"Nanao! Wanna go out shopping? I know you hate this weather, so let's go enjoy some nice warm stores! I hear there are some new stores out in the 2nd district." Matsumoto tempted.

Nanao smiled softly "Didn't you tell Hitsugaya-taicho that you would get some work done today?"

"Don't you worry about that. I got enough done so taicho won't be too upset. I mean, it's is favorite weather out today, so how mad could he get? c'mon, let's go"

Nanao neatly stacked her last form in the outbox and followed her friend out into the few inches of snow that had accumulated since this morning.

********

On their way to the marketplace, Matsumoto smirked and scooped some snow up into her hands and pelted Nanao with her snowball. Nanao's jaw dropped and her eyes glinted with a mix of playfulness and challenge.

"Oh no you didn't!" Nanao quickly gathered her own snow to retaliate while Rangiku tried to put as much distance between her and her friend. She had forgotten how much practice the fukutaicho of the 8th got with throwing things at her captain. Nanao's aim has become deadly over the years. After a fair exchange of snowballs, Nanao and Rangiku flopped down into the snow huffing and puffing.

"oi, Nanao, let's make snowmen! Oh, wait, why not snow women? It's always men. Oh I know! Let's make snow versions of ourselves!"

Nanao laughed "sure" even though she wasn't too keen on the idea, but her friend seemed determined to make a statement.

********

After a half hour or so, Ise made an elegant snow version of herself holding her customary book complete with snow-glasses. Matsumoto's version of herself leaned forward with her hands on her knees and her head to the side winking. Both of them did their real selves justice.

"Ohhh yours looks just like you!" Rangiku squealed

"I'm pretty sure others would agree yours is quite accurate, but we should get going before the stores close."

"hai, hai, those new stores need to be broken in!"

********

Hours later, as Nanao and Matsumoto came back through the courtyard laden with shopping bags, they see another snowman has joined theirs. A large flowery pink haori covered the shoulders of Nanao's snow self. But that wasn't it. There was a beautifully crafted version of Kyouraku Shunsui leaning over kissing his snowy fukutaicho on the cheek. Nanao's cheeks were already pink with the cold, but flushed red at the sight of her captain's snowman kissing hers. Matsumoto put her arm around her fellow fukutaicho "Nanao, I'm having a hard time believing that he's not being serious like you've determined" Nanao just continued to stare at the snow people in front of her. "Well, I need to get back to my own captain or else he'll make me into a twin for my snow-woman" Rangiku smiled at her fazed out friend and skipped out of the 8ths courtyard leaving Nanao standing there to think about her captain.

"Hmmm, that's a nice sight over there isn't it, Nanao-chan? You're going to catch a cold if you stand here all night."

Nanao blinked as she felt warmth encompass her shoulders. Shunsui had shrugged out of his captain's haori and put it on her shoulders to protect her from the snow still falling. He walked over to snow Nanao and picked up his pink haori and put it on. "Y'know, these snowmen look really nice together" Shunsui paused thoughtfully taking in the sight. He turned to Nanao and smiled softly "But I think the real thing would look better…." Nanao blushed even more and looked away.

"Here, let me help you with your bags. I'll walk you home." Nanao was still stuck on Matsumoto's words so could only nod as Shunsui took the bags from her and gently nudged her from her trance "Hai taicho, that would be nice of you."

They walked in silence the whole way, with Kyouraku taicho glancing over every once in a while. Nanao had a little crease in the middle of her forehead. That told him that she was deep in thought about something. The faraway look indicated she was considering her emotions. And the blush on her cheeks, Shunsui was pretty sure that was because she was thinking about him. He didn't like his pretty little fukutaicho quiet and looking like this. Maybe he'll wait until they get to nanao's quarters to broach the subject.

********

When they arrived at Nanao's door, Nanao broke from her thoughts to look up at Shunsui "Taicho, you can come in and warm up if you'd like. It's cold out and it's a bit of a walk back to your quarters."

"Oh thank you, Nanao-chan! Always so thoughtful and looking out for others." Shunsui slid the door closed behind him and put the bags down close to the door and took off his sandals. "I'll make you some tea while you get something warmer on." Shunsui made his way to her small kitchen to put some water on the stove. He really wanted to know what his little Nanao was thinking. Maybe he should take a risk and force his little bundle of a fukutaicho to make a decision about her emotions. He was tired of every attempt of touching her earning him a solid whack, his compliments being ignored and his intentions left unknown. Shunsui couldn't understand why Nanao was so resistant to him. But then again, it made her that much more attractive in his eyes.

She was waiting in her living room on her sofa and his captain's coat neatly folded beside her when he came in. He brought the tray with a tea kettle and a pair of tea cups, "I see you don't like green tea, either, Nanao-chan."

"No, I don't like the taste of it. And it's not strong enough." Shunsui sat down beside her and reached for one of the cups at the same time Nanao did. His hand rested on top of hers but didn't pull away. Nanao just stared at their hands for a moment until Shunsui closed his hand over hers and turned his head to look directly at her. Her skin tingled at his warmth flowing into her hand. He slowly moved closer to her cheek and pressed his lips to her chilled skin. Fire smoldered within her stomach at his actions and broke her from the trance like state she had been in once she saw his snowman kissing hers. Surely it wasn't right that her snow-self was still frozen when Shunsui kissing her was burning her alive. Shunsui pulled away and studied her face with intent and questioning eyes. Nanao's eyes were dark as she looked up into his. Shunsui moved just close enough so his lips hovered over hers waiting for her to make her choice.

He was prepared to take a fan to the face again, but dearly hoped that somehow, Nanao could see past his silliness and see his true intent. She closed the miniscule gap that lay between them and Shunsui nearly fell over in surprise. He took his hand from hers and placed it on her waist and placed his other behind her neck. He gently caressed and coaxed her with his lips to respond to him and wasn't disappointed. She returned the kiss with such pent up passion that she'd kept under control for years. It was hard not to be attracted to her captain, but she never thought she'd fall for him and wish to touch him. But in her judgment, she decided it was better to ignore these feelings and keep a purely platonic relationship with her captain. But now that she finally experienced the rush that Kyouraku Shunsui invoked, it was almost impossible to keep her thoughts coherent. Nanao's hands reached up to Shunsui's chest. She traced along the edge of his haori and up behind his neck pulling him closer. Her fingers dove into his hair. Shunsui rumbled his approval of her response to his advances. Only when want of oxygen was greater than their want of each other, they broke apart.

When Shunsui had gotten enough breath back, he whispered "I've been waiting for you, my Nanao-chan."

Maybe the snow wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
